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(No Model.)

G; L. HORAOK.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER. No. 272,693. Patented Peb.2 0,1883.

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UNITED TATES CHARLES L. HORAOK, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 272,693, dated February 20, 1883.

' Application filed August 5, 1882. (No model.)

'more outlets, and to arrange the same in such a manner that it may become released by the action of the heat of a tire, and to so construct and adjust said valve that the same be provided with t-woseating-surfaces, and that the pressure of the extinguishing -fiuid be applied between the same in order to reduce the resulting pressure on said valve, tending to open it.

A further object of this invention is to provide, in combination with an automatic fireextinguisher, as described, a deflector of a suitable form, as a means of distributing the extinguishing-fluid over a large area, thereby escaping the disadvantages attending the use of distributers with many small perforations, very generally used heretofore, and also to make it possible to draw out the extinguishingfluid from the distributer and to empty said distributer without detaching or disturbingit, thereby allowing all sediment which may have accumulated atornearthevalve-seatto bewithdrawn therefrom, and also guarding againsta body of water remaining in contact with the valve and the valve-seat, which during cold weather might freeze and temporarily strain the valve, and thereby cause leaking.

- I attain these objects in the manner indicated on thedrawingsaccompanying and forming part of this specification.

Figure 1 represents a vertical section of an automatic fire-extinguisher arranged according to my invention, and Fig. 2 a side view of the same device.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The sprinkling-cup G contains a recess with vertical or nearly vertical walls. The perforations h h penetrate said walls, and the valve V prevents the extinguishjng-fluid from escaping until relieved by the heat of a fire. For

' this purpose said valve is held in the position perforations, only one outlet, partly or fully encircling the deflector, might be used to partly balance said valve, a better distribution of the fluid can be obtained by using a series of perforations, as described above, because where a continuous surface without projections-such as teeth, corrugations, &cis used to deflect a solid stream of water the fluid is apt to be distributed in the form of a sheet, while making said fluid pass first through a series of perforations, as done by me, cuts up said stream and causes the fluid to leave the deflector in the form of a spray, which is much better adapted to reach and extinguish a fire.

The sides of the valve V, which face the perforations h h before a fire takes place, and which afterward serve to deflect the extinguishing-fluid and to discharge it upon a fire, are shown to be constructed concave. This is done in order to leave a space between the walls of the reservoir containing the perforations h h and the valve until said valve has been removed from its seats, therebyguardingagainst sticking ot' the valve, and, further, in order to obtain a more perfect lateral as well as upward distribution of the ex tinguishing-fluid after the valve or deflector has assumed the position shown in Fig. 2,

8 represents a spring, having one end connected with the valve .V and the other with the yoke Y. Said spring is held in tension as long as the valve V serves to confine the extinguishing-fluid, as shown in Fig.1. As soon as the heat of a fire has broken the soldered joint J said spring S will draw the valve from its seatand will allow the extinguishing-fluid to escape,the weight of the valve V and the press- 'tinguishing-fluid, will prevent any further amount of said .fluid from passing through the perforations h it until the heat of a fire has relieved said valve and the same has leftits seat or seats, thereby, also, opening the horizontal main outlet below the perforations, through which all the fluid has then to pass in order to reach the deflector and to be distributed by the same.

While an automatic fire-extinguisher might be constructed according to my invention using a valve partly balanced by the extinguishing fluid for closing the outlet or outlets from the cup 0, and using a separate deflector for further distributing said fluid, the method described above of making the valve V also act as a deflector materially simplifies the device.

Automaticfire-extinguishers using deflectors are generally attached to lines of pipes running close to the ceilings of buildings, and in the position shown in the drawings-via, so arranged that the extinguishing-fluid, after it leaves the pipes through the discharge-nozzle C, has to take a downward course to reach the deflector,,and is then distributed by the same sidewise and upward in order to protect the ceilings of the room, as well as the space below. Heretofore the inlet to the cup 0, through which the fluid has to pass on its way from the pipes to the deflector, has been placed directlyabove the valve and the deflector, making the extinguishing-fluid descend from the system of piping in a vertical column until it reached the valve closing the outlet. As a consequence it has been impossible to entirely empty the cup 0, as might become necessary in order to prevent the freezing of fluid in said cup in roomsnotheated during cold weather. I overcome this difficultyby providing the side inlet, 1, as represented in Fig. :2, the inside of it being shown in dotted lines, and by placing it low enough to make it possible to use it as an outlet for all the fluid in the cup 0 without changing the position of said valve or said cup 0.

While in the absence of the side inlet or outlet I it might be desirable to be able to lower the valve. V somewhat in order to empty the cup 0 without severing the soldered joint J,

the existence of said side inlet makes it feasition until relieved by the heat of a fire, thereby guarding against accidents and leaking. VJhere the cup 0 and the valve V meet before said valve has been relieved by the heat of a fire, suitable packing of lead or other soft metal, rubber, or any other suitable material would have to be provided to make the joints tight without making them stick.

As I describe and claim certain details of the valve V and of the methods employed to hold it in position in another application for a patent, I do not wish to do so here.

A valve partly balanced by the pressure of the extinguishing-fluid might be constructed so as to employ several soldered joints for confining the extinguishing-fluid and holding said valve in position. However, in that case it might happen that while one joint would unsolder sufficiently to allow some of the fluid to pass, another might be kept unyielding, and might thereby prevent the whole valve from moving, particularly owing to the cooling influence ot' the fluid. This difficulty I overcome by using only one joint entirely removed from contact with the fluid.

I claim as my invention and wish to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with a discharge-nozzle or distributer provided with an outlet or outlets, and recessed, as shown, of a plug shaped valve provided with receding walls, as shown, and with two seating-surfaces, the construction being such that the pressure ot'the extinguishing-fluid is exerted upon the valve between its two seats, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a distributer provided with an outlet or outlets, of a plugshaped valve provided with receding walls, as shown, and ot' a seal confining said valve in its position until said seal is broken by the heat of a fire, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a discharge-nozzle or distributer provided with an outlet or outlets, of a valve provided with two seating-surfaces, the constrnction being such that the pressure of the extinguishing-fluid is exerted upon the valve between its two seats, and a spring adapted to force the valve, after it has been released by the heat of a fire, into a position where it will serve as a deflector, sub stantially as set forth.

4.. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination, with a discharge-nozzle or distributer provided with an outlet or outlets, of a valve provided with two seating-surfaces, the construction being such that the pressure of the extinguishing-fluid is exerted upon the valve between its two seats, and that said valve becomes a deflector after having been relieved by the heat of a fire, substantially as set forth.

-5. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination, with a discharge-nozzle or dis: tributer provided with an outlet or outlets, of

a valve provided with two seating-surfaces,

ment, and adapted, after it has been released by the heat of a fire, to serve as a deflector, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with adischargenozzle or distributer provided with an outlet or outlets, of a valve provided with two seating-surfaces, the construction being such that the pressure of the extinguishing-fluid is exerted upon the valve between its two seats, said valve being held in position by means ofa single soldered joint, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with a discharge-nozzle or distributer provided with an outlet or outlets, of a valve provided with two seating-surfaces, and a device for forcing said valve against its seats, the construction being; such that the pressure of the extinguishing-fluid is exerted upon the valve between its two seats, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with a discharge-nozzle or distrihuter provided with an outlet or outlets, of a valve provided with two seating-surfaces, and a connecting-piece for transmitting the pressure on said valve to a soldered joint entirely removed from contact with the water, the construction being such that the pressure of the extinguishing-fluid is exerted upon the valve between its two seats, substantially as set forth.

9. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, a casing forming a nozzle or distributer, and provided with an outlet or outlets for discharging the water downward, and with an inlet, I, having its lowest point even with or below the discharge area or areas, combined with a valve seated upon said casing and closing said outlet or outlets and adjusted to assume a downward motion upon being relieved by the heat of a fire, all substantially as and for the purposes specified.

CHARLES L. HORAOK.

Witnesses:

WALDORF H. PHILLIPS, RUFUS M. WILLIAMS. 

